


This is the right time

by Remedymylife



Category: Sterek - Fandom, Teenwolf - Fandom
Genre: Angst, F/M, Futurefic, Greece, Island - Freeform, M/M, Pack, Wedding, futuresterek, returningderek, sterek
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-11
Updated: 2015-08-13
Packaged: 2018-04-14 03:45:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4549017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Remedymylife/pseuds/Remedymylife
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stiles turns up late to his best friends rehearsal dinner, after a shitty day and a weird feeling he finds himself face to face with the thing hes been running from for the past 8 months.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The rehearsal dinner

Stiles is bringing up the rear of a line of what seems like a thousand people. That may be his sleep deprived brain talking. But it sure looks like that many.  
He's trying his hardest not to trip up the white stone steps, the many, many white stone steps.  
Don't get him wrong, Santorini is fucking beautiful as he looks out across the bay. Waiting in a line of thousands gives a guy time to do these things.

Around him people snap photos and run in and out of shops. Stiles is just focusing on making it up the damned steps alive so he can sit beside his best friend at the rehearsal dinner. The rehearsal dinner he's late for.

He's late for a number of reasons.  
1\. The man in the chair beside him would not stop kneeing him in the thigh.  
2\. Stiles had to wait for the slow bastard to get up out of his chair. Of course the guy on the isle side could just run out, also a bastard but this time he was a lucky one.  
3\. The arse of that guy caused stiles a momentary brain aneurysm as he tried to collect his shit.  
4\. Stiles is Stiles and ultimately many things make up the reason he's late.  
5\. The fucking hoards of people on these fucking steps in fucking Santorini.

Just as his mind starts to wonder back to fabulous arse man, the line comes to a halt.

An honest to god, not moving, time wasting halt. "Fuck me" stiles mutters. The person behind him slips, splutters and catches them self, he can't turn around in the limited space, but what a fucktard. Don't give him any more reasons to be late or Scott will fillet him.

The line starts up again and Stiles decides it's time to be a rude tourist and start elbowing people out the way.

Anybody and everybody gets to be victim to his insanity and within the next few minutes he slides to a stop atop the stairs leading down to Fanari. A hillside restaurant with a view of the whole bay.

He's gotta hand it to Ms McCall, Scott's mum, she knows how to pick a venue.

The sun's still highish in the sky as his best friend, who is friends with him for god knows what reason, Stiles is a mess, waves him enthusiastically over.

He hops through hoards of people he doesn't know, probably Allison's family and finally sits in his place next to the obviously nervous Scott McCall.

He sets a hand down on Scott's knee quickly, the fidgeting is normally a thing Stiles does, and turns to him.

"Come on, Scotty. Let's get this show on the road"

He looks around the room. All their friends have made it over, Lydia and Jackson, Cora and Isaac, Boyd and Erica. The couples had been there a day earlier to 'relax', which basically meant they could have sex in their room without everyone in the house knowing.

Stiles pouts internally at this, his sex life is nowhere near up to scratch. Of course Scott's about to commit to a life time of sex with one of beacon hills most beautiful, Stiles may hate him a little.

Well he would hate him more, but the fact that his chances of hooking up are slightly better, swinging both ways and all, makes it easy for Scott to tease Stiles about his recent dry spell.

Yes ok he hasn't had sex in a few months. Yes, he also may not have even kissed anyone in a few months. He's just really be into his study and spending time with the pack.

Given he's only doing half the usual amount of classes, the pack takes up time ok, and Derek is no where to be seen. Not even Cora knows where that beautiful bastard is.

Ok so really,  
Stiles life is pretty sad right now, apart from his best friend getting married and being in Greece, everything is as mundane as humanly possible, maybe even supernaturally possible also.

He stops looking around when he spots a dark head at the back of the tables, it ducks in and disappears. The head is familiar but stiles can't place it. He knows a lot of guys. And Scott and Allison do too.

They proceed with the rehearsal dinner and once the speeches are made and stiles is once again sitting after his speech, the speech that took him about 5 minutes to write once he realized how much gold material he had on the couple, when he spots the head again.

Except this time it's coming towards the table, where he is the only one sitting, and this time the head has a very familiar face attached to it.

Derek Hale. Derek fucking Hale. Absent Hale pack member and current object of Stiles fantasies.

He needs help, he hasn't had sex in a long time and the last time he saw Derek he was bent over that damned Camaro, shirtless mind you, waist deep in engine.

Stiles freezes, he has no clue why he's coming his way and why he suddenly can't move a muscle. So much for twitchy idiot. More like statue of embarrassment.

Derek smiles as he approaches. Another oddity that just adds to this insane moment.

Stiles, who is trying his hardest to make a movement to show he acknowledges Derek's approach, some how manages to say one thing,

"You". And he feels his face furrow in confusion.

Derek gets closer, his expression unreadable, he comes to a halt in front of Stiles a good 3 feet away.

Still close enough for even non teenager hormones to reach Derek. So as soon as he can Stiles eyes are pinned on every expression on that face. Every twitch, every smirk, every flinch. And soon enough he sees the flare. Stiles can't be sure if Derek or his family know they do it, obviously they must know when they sense and smell something but the twitch gives it away.

Derek's nostrils flare ever so slightly, but just from that movement Stiles knows the range of hormones and emotions he will currently be battling through. And cringes internally at the thought of Derek figuring out his latent attraction to all things Derek Hale.

"Hey Stiles" Derek says, with a nod. Stiles brain forgets how to brain for a moment and he says "Hey stiles? It's been months and the first thing you say to anyone is hey?" He's dumbfounded. His mind is turning over with all the things the pack has needed him for in the past few months and it doesn't seem enough that he just walks up and says hey.

Derek steps back. A gesture Stiles doesn't expect from him, his hands go up, palms out and he stares pleadingly as he says, "You just have to believe me, it was for the best right now, I'll explain what you need to know."

That awakens stiles body and he's suddenly standing. Right up in Derek's face, "Does Scott even know your here? How do you think he will react after so long?" Derek looks around Cautiously, then says, "I just need to speak to you".

Stiles honestly thinks he needs to stop with the saying of the things that make his brain explode. "Why me? Why not Scott, whose rehearsal dinner this is. Or Cora, your sister? Or Isaac, or Erica or Boyd?"

The last bit is slightly hysteric, but in his defense they did spend weeks looking for him, only to decide he would come back if the pack needed him. A couple of times there, they actually thought it would be the time they would see him, but no. That never happened.

"So it only took a wedding, in Greece, with the whole pack and family, for you to mysteriously turn up? Geez Derek, who knew you were such a softy. That time Isaac almost died, yeah psssht that was nothing", he waves his hands about, rolling his eyes, "Erica almost dropping out of school and becoming a stripper when she realized you weren't coming back so what was the point?" He can tell this hurts Derek, but as the first person he speaks to, Stiles feels it's only right to start him off on the world of guilt, worry and pain that's coming his way.

"Stiles, I know it's been hard." The way he says it implies more than just hard for the pack. And the way he says his name sends shivers up and down stiles spine.

"Do you though? You know what, I'm here for Scott and Allison, you should be too" he went to walk past Derek, he went to find Scott but all he heard was "oh no no no" and then saw a blur of dark hair as Cora ran at her brother and started whacking him across the chest.

"What- the- actual- fuck- Derek!" Cora shrieks, in between slaps. His hands go up again, "Cora, calm down". She eyes him suspiciously and stiles thinks any less of a man would shrink under her gaze.

Derek stood tall while Cora slapped at him, different to how he was when Stiles was having a go. He just looked down at her, gently wrapping his hands around her arms to stop her. He held her still, "Cora, not now", she pouted, "seriously, Derek. What did you expect when you decided to just stroll on in?"

"Mostly exactly this, a bit more yelling maybe. But i know it's an important day so we can hash this out later". He's patiently waiting for the tension in her body to unwind.

He sets her down and she goes back to her table, Isaac looks around as she approaches and his eyes almost fall out of his head. He points at Derek and Stiles can't here him but he knows Derek can, as he see's him say "You dick" but his face is soft.

Stiles walks off after that, finds Scott and braces himself for the onslaught. "Dude! What the fuck! Did I just see Derek? How is he here? Why is he here?"

Ok so not as bad as he thought, but still, "I have no idea man, I asked him that myself and he just said to not worry. Anyway, I told him to not cause a scene so don't stress and I'll make sure he stays out of the way" he pats Scott on the back and walks off before he can protest. Someone walks up and refills Scott's champagne glass, so he's distracted enough to let Stiles go.

He needs a break. He really doesn't want to leak emotional turmoil all over the wolves in the room so he ducks back up the stairs into the bar. It's been months since he's last seen the bastard and it's only during that time that the feelings made themselves known. Or maybe just to Stiles.

At first he thought it was just pack mentality and everyone felt that way, then he realised the way he missed Derek. Not exactly a family sort of feeling.

So he's currently drowning his sorrows. He sits back in his chair overlooking the party with his drink. At first he doesn't realize he's doing it, then he notices Derek's not in the crowd and that he had been searching it for him.  
He lays his head down on his arms trying to push away the hole that's formed in his chest.

A warmth presses down on his shoulder, startling him, "Stiles?". He would know that voice anywhere. Trying to avoid the issue wasn't going to happen. "What do you want Derek?" He asks, his head rising off his arms and glancing sideways at the problem.

"I just need to talk to you, and yes I've seen everyone and they've all gone back to drinking and pawing over Scott and Allison" he says it as though it will reassure Stiles. He would be lying if he said it didn't.

"I don't know what you want from me, you left for months and I'm sure there's plenty more important things you need to do with the pack. Besides, what can you possibly have to tell me, what exciting things you've been doing without us, what made you leave? You said you can't tell me so I guess that's that then", he goes to stand, he's tired and from the start of the day something has set his teeth on edge.

He needs to run, or drink. Neither of those seem to be happening right now. He's glued to the spot. Derek's hand is on his shoulder again.

"I don't know what's been going on, but would you just listen to me for one minute. I can hear something is going on in there, you obviously care that I'm back" he's poking stiles in the chest, right over his heart.

He's not sure if Derek's displeased or what by the thought of stiles caring, the hand that is poking him in the chest suddenly stills and Derek says "Stiles calm down", it's not till that moment that he realises he's been on the verge of a panic attack. The warmth of Derek's hands never leave and it's disconcerting that that's what calms him down. Ironic.

Stiles tears himself away, back to the bar with Derek right behind him. "Just let me drink, then you can explain". He orders a tequila shot and 2 Captain Morgan and drys, does the shot before he can think about it and carries the drinks further towards the back of the room. Once they're sitting he motions for Derek to begin while he's downing the first drink.

He's probably being a bit childish about this, but it only took Derek reappearing for him to realise and almost choke on his own feelings.

Sitting across from Derek after so many months is kind of surreal. It's like he shouldn't be here. Well he kind of shouldn't, and that's the point. He needs to explain. Right now he looks as if he's trying find the words to start. So stiles doesn't push.  
Eventually he starts to speak.

"So, back in October, after all of that with the rival pack had settled down, I'd decided to work on making our pack stronger." Stiles doesn't make a sound, just listens. He nods, urging Derek on.

" you saw the beginning of it, we upped training and we incorporated more roles for the human pack members, it was all to bring the pack closer and make us more efficient as a whole." Stiles remembers, he didn't know what training was until the last few days before Derek left. He may have puked a time or two, but that's old news.

"We started, but just before I could move onto the next phase, which would have ultimately realigned us with the sheriffs office and most of the town, I was approached. Now take into account how far into pack training and strengthening I was, we all were. When I was approached it was random, but not in such a way that I didn't know it might happen. What I was approached about would have impacted the whole pack, the whole town and the future of both. It took me a few days of research to figure out the detrimental effects of what I was being offered.  
Don't get me wrong, I knew straight away I didn't want to get involved but I needed to know why this was happening now.

Stiles, for you to understand what I'm about to tell you, you have to get one thing, marriage for wolves isn't as cut an dry as human marriage." Stiles is piecing it together slowly, the second drink helping to keep his questions at bay. He waits.

"When I was approached, it was a few days before the last time i saw you. A woman called Isobel came to the edge of the property during the day, you were all out. She came to me specifically. Her pack was in need of protection, a coven had began to randomly attack their members and she was running out of options. They were taking the unmated and bonding them to the members of their coven. At the time Isobel was unsure as to why, but she had been friends with my mother before, just before, and knew she could find sanctuary with us."

"Ok.. So how does this end in you taking off?" Stiles knows there's more but he's impatient and the look on Derek's face doesn't ease his anxiety.

Derek nods, "You were all out that day, and she knew that. She was desperate. As she entered our territory I knew something was wrong. Her smell, her heartbeat, everything was off. As she spoke it wasn't lies but it wasn't quite the whole truth. She explained her situation and I didn't understand how I could help. So she explained". He leant forward in his seat, resting against the table.

"If a wolf and a witch are bonded it increases the witches power unlimitedly. As long as the witch is in constant contact with the wolf. Considering the supernatural ties to the moon and the world wolves are, in a sense, an unlimited source of supernatural energy. One of the most powerful to witches." He pauses, as if to let Stiles ask the questions he has waiting, but he starts talking again not long later.

"This would make the witch bonded to a wolf uniquely powerful. It's said to create new powers but no one knows for sure. All Isobel knew was that her wolves were missing and the power of the pack could be felt draining away every day.  
She came to me, with a request"

Stiles already had a good idea of what this Isobel woman wanted and he didn't like the sound of it.

"Isobel asked me, on behalf of the ones left unmated/bonded, if we would be interested in making tactical bonds between our packs". Ok that wasn't exactly what Stiles was thinking.

"Wait, so she wanted all of the pack to bond with hers?" Stiles was astonished. He thought Isobel would be after Derek, that's almost reasonable but the whole pack?

"As the alpha she was determined to see the stability of her own. Stiles, I was shocked. Mum might have had a relationship with these people but we didn't. I didn't know what to do, and she was forcing the issue. It wasn't a question so much as an order. I asked for a few days to think. She gave me 3."

"I remember the last day I saw you, you were buried in that car, but I just thought you were being you, I didn't realize you needed help." Derek used to use the car as a way to run off unwanted energy or restlessness.

"No one knew Stiles, that's the point. I was handling it on my own. By the time Isobel had set to meet me, which was a couple ours after I saw you, I had decided that there was no way that could possibly end well. We didn't get anything from it. A whole pack bonded to another? The members don't get a choice and it's no where near close to if she had just asked me." He sounded resolute, but that didn't explain where he went.

" When Isobel found out she wasn't happy, started going off about loyalty and favors and I just said I wasn't my mother and didn't know her or her pack. She brought up the fire, saying how stupid it was to turn her down after we lost so much and how it would be detrimental not to join forces. I tried my hardest to explain that the only people it helped was her own pack and it didn't afford us anything we didn't already have." Stiles was banking on the werewolf/hunter alliance between the pack and the Argent's being Derek's argument there.

"So you ran? What did she do?" Stiles still didn't see the whole picture.  
"She sensed something else going on. I did realise it, but she knew as soon as she followed me later on to the house that our members were already closely bonded, that set her off even more. She said I'd lied and let her think there was a chance. By this stage she was hysterical. I had no clue what she was on about and it didn't stop there. Do you remember what you did that night?" Stiles couldn't remember what he had for dinner a night ago, but for some reason that stuck In his head.

" After seeing you I went home, but by nighttime I couldn't sit still, I called Scott and we went for a drive. He seemed off but I just assumed it was to do with Allison, they had just began wedding plans and I was sure it was that. "

"Stiles, it's not just the wolves of the pack that feel it when something's wrong, if the bond between the pack is strong enough even the human members can feel when something changes."

"So basically, we all had an inkling that you were running away and we ignored it?"

"None of you understood it, it hasn't happened in our pack before so it would've just been an uncomfortable feeling. Now that you know what it is, you would recognize it as loss". It dawns on Stiles that a major part of his life can be summed up by loss. His mum being the most major.

"It was strong that day because it was also coming from me, Isobel picked up on the scents around the house and began following you." Derek looked directly at stiles as he spoke.

"Me?"

"Yes, Stiles. She wanted to see what was holding her from linking the packs. It only took a couple of hours but she came back to me and started off again about how I'd lied, I didn't understand but she insisted and it only got worse. I tore myself away from the pack that night to separate the pack. We were weaker, in a sense, without a direct alpha the pack was weaker and Isobel wasn't able to find the safety she needed after I'd left."

Stiles frowns. "So basically, this crazy bitch comes in, asks you to do an incredible thing and is put out because you say no, then she's butt-hurt even more because you apparently string her along?" Stiles doesn't understand the lying part.

"There's plenty of couples but Scott and Allison are basically the only ones destined for greatness." Stiles says, trying to understand the logic.

" I think she sensed more than we realise and she thought we knew more about it than we do." Obviously, if she was stalking Stiles.

She probably felt his repressed Derek feelings and couldn't handle the angst.

"So we've got a bunch of power couples, and a couple excellent singles." He gestures to himself. Derek frowns.

"She didn't see it that way." His expression showing that he wasn't going to let stiles in on any more.

"Is that all you're going to tell me?" Derek nods.

" I told you, you have to trust me."

"Yeah, yeah the alphas back. Whoop de do." He rolls his eyes and motions the waitress for another drink. Derek sighs, and looks thoughtfully over Stiles. Stiles becomes slightly uncomfortable, he's being assessed and it's bothering him. "Dude, you right?"

"You seem- hm, you're different." Good work detective, it's been months and for some reason he can't get fucking Derek out of his head. Stiles is 100% sure the werewolf can sense all the feelings he's feeling and has been able to the whole time. He probably knew about his feelings before Stiles did.

"Well a lots changed." Yeah a lot of feelings and thoughts have been redirected towards the welfare of the werewolf sitting directly in front.

Derek suddenly looks pointedly at Stiles, "You know i can-" He puts his hand over Derek's mouth, he knows exactly where that sentence is going. "We are not doing this now." He pokes Derek in the chest with the other finger and slowly removes his hand. He's sure the speed his heart is going after having his hand on that mouth is nothing short of dangerous. He's also sure the eyebrows of the wolf in front of him show exactly how much Derek knows this.

"I know you know what I'm talking about then" Derek says, still looking intently at Stiles, his eyes roving over his face, he nostrils slightly flaring as he takes in Stiles all too obvious scents.

Stiles finished his drink, "yeah but we can deal with this when we're not away for Scott and Allison's wedding." He gets up, waits for Derek to follow and goes back down to the party. Everyone's mostly still shocked to see Derek but they let it be in favour of paying attention to Allison and Scott.


	2. Later that night

Stiles patiently waits while Cora talks with Isaac about something that's getting a bit flirty and gross. He loves them both but Jesus they're disgusting. They dance around each other all the time but add some werewolf friendly alcohol to the mix and it's nobodies business.

A couple suggestive looks later and Cora extricates herself from Isaac. She glances back as she goes and disappears off into the crowd. Isaac nods to Stiles as if to say this space is available now. Gee thanks.

"Dude, you two are disgusting" Stiles grins at Isaac. Isaac shrugs, "We try. Any way, I saw some pretty vomit inducing behavior coming from your corner a while ago." He cocks an eyebrow in stiles direction.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Yeah, he may have come over to talk about this, but he's not a girl, he can have a conversation first.

"You have that look. Come on. Get it out. Say it." That's the funny thing about Isaac, he just knows.

"Since you asked. I think I'm royally fucked. That thing that I've been repressing for the past 8 months, yeah not so much anymore." He sighs and reaches for a beer from the table behind Isaac.

He takes a long drink and sees the sideways eye Isaac gives him, but he just shrugs and opens his own and does the same. "Ok so basically, Derek's back, you can go back to being emotional about him, but you can do it with him instead of just leaking angst all over us." Isaac knows what's up.

"So, it's complicated, the stuff he's dealing with is complicated but I think that might be the gist of it, yeah." He must look unsure because Isaac says,

"Dude, you know before he left the overwhelming gross feelings weren't just directed at him, it was at you too. We could all feel it going both ways." Stiles flounders, his mouth opening and closing. He's figured Derek knows about his feelings but, "Are you sure, this seems to be affecting me completely differently to him."

Again with the side eye, "Dude, werewolf, remember."

"Ok, look. My ego probably can't handle this much in one go. You won't get my head past the door, we'll be stuck here forever."

"It's not an ego boost, it's the truth, I think we just figured out while he was gone how much of a big deal that connection actually was." Isaac shrugs again.

"No one thought to speak to me about it? I mean I've been pretty whiney about the whole thing."

"We thought you'd figure it out on your own, considering the amount of whining you did, which you mostly have. Just not to the extent that we can see."

Things Derek had said start to click into place, why the Isobel woman went off about the pack being more closely bonded than Derek let on. Why she followed stiles and Derek sheepishly skimmed over that part. Just a lot of whys.

Stiles feels a little bit silly now, he's good with problems but his own, obviously he's in too deep to see the silver lining.

So, as much as he wouldn't like to deal with this right now. At his friends rehearsal dinner, his brain is ready to go. Derek. Derek. Derek. Derek. Mate. Mate. Mate?

That word, it's too much.

It popped up and the air left Stiles lungs.

He sinks into the closest chair, scrambling for air.

How could he have not seen that coming. The way Derek was speaking, he knew something was up, but this. No. It's impossible.

Stiles is Stiles. He honestly doesn't know what he had expected when Derek tried to say he knows what Stiles is feeling.

He's still searching for oxygen, Isaacs hands are on his shoulders, searching stiles eyes. He looks guilty as if this is his fault, bless his soul.

Stiles brain is going a million miles an hour on useless crap and its taking up the space where he knows how to breathe.

Suddenly a giant hand is pushing Isaac out of the way and stiles is hauled to his feet. The new altitude doesn't help and he loses his balance, but comes to rest in the giant hands again. He needs air, needs it now. He's scrambling but someone man handles him to the edge of the party and into a pocket of fresh air and a lone chair.

"Stiles! Come on, breathe for me. Just do it, I know you know what to do." The voice is pleading but the face is swimming around in front of him. Eyebrows, he can see eyebrows. My god he's always there. Stiles gasps, and clings onto the shirt front of the solid wall of muscle in front of him. Giant hands search his face, rest on his jaw and in his hair.

He's forcing himself to breathe, the warm hands soothe him, he leans into them. His vision comes back, and he see's Derek with a look on his face that is the most anxious stiles has ever seen.

As his breathing returns to normal someone hands him a glass of water, he unclenches one hand from the vice grip on Derek's shirt and sips. Cora comes into view, standing next to Isaac. She takes the cup and steps back. Stiles looks back at Derek.

"I- I ... I don't know, how can- what?" Stiles fast talking plus useless stammering is doing wonders right now. Derek shakes his head. "No, shh. Not right now" he leans forward more and presses stiles head into the crook of his neck. He smells amazing, he smells like pack. Like home.

"Derek," he scratches out. Derek just runs his hand over the back on Stiles head. After God knows how long he pushes Derek back, and sees that they're alone.

"It's been months, but it only took me a week to figure it out back then." Derek says, as he remains crouched in front of Stiles. "I knew that was the main reason she was so angry, she thought I'd lied. And to some extent I did. I just didn't know it at the time." Derek thumbs across Stiles cheek. An affection gesture.

"I missed the pack, but the pull I felt towards you. It definitely wasn't the same."

" I thought we weren't going to talk about this." Stiles is still floundering.

"We weren't going to talk about your feelings, never said anything about mine." Stiles exhales long and hard.   
"Jesus, your feelings." The man has actual full on life changing feelings. "Why is this happening now?" Stiles asks rhetorically, putting his head in his hands. Derek's chuckles, "it's been happening for a while actually." Stiles gives him the hairy eye ball and sinks back into the chair he's in.

"Ok, listen. Since you've had this epiphany and it's basically wrecked you. We won't talk about this until after the wedding." Derek offers.

"So, one more day and we have life changing news to deal with. Well I have to deal with it, since you seem to be so skilled at recognizing your mate when you see them." Stiles stops, did he really just say that. His hand goes up to his mouth, that's his mouth yes. "I just said that didn't I." Derek nods, "We can do this later, come on. Let's get you a drink." Stiles stands, shakily and tries to blend into the crowd, doesn't want to make another scene.

He's already been late, he's had enough a shocks for one day.

Derek walks a head of him.

Stiles stops, "My god!" He gasps and points, Derek turns around, amused. "What?". Stiles points again, this time people are staring. Stiles is blatantly pointing at Derek's crotch.

Derek smiles, a little smugly. "That was you!" Stiles brain is working over time. The feeling he had on the plane, the feeling he and all day. "You bastard." He hits Derek up the back of his head.

"You stupid, you knew I was there, you let me stew on that plane." Beautiful arsed bastard from the plane. Stupid sneaky Derek Hale. "You were in fucking beacon hills!" Everyone around them is staring now.

"Uh, guilty?" Derek shrugs. "I came home, but everyone was here. So I may have followed you. Booked the same flight and well, here we are."

"Jesus" Stiles breathes -a hand wrenching in his hair, "How does shit like this happen?" A couple people laugh. He knows it's Scott.

He shakes his head and grabs Derek's hand, first actual contact, without a panic attack or an explanation needed. He heads to the bar. Two beers and a corner of the party to them selves later, they're standing with Stiles staring dumbfounded into the distance.

"You're calculating all this aren't you" Derek says.

"Fuck me" Stiles breathes, it's a lot to take in.

But Derek chokes, and flounders, "not again" Stiles hears. And then it dawns on him.

"That was you too! Behind me in the line! Oh my god, you fucking stalker." He's laughing now. This is ridiculous. This can't be reality.

But it is, and it's just fine in their little bubble right now.


	3. The wedding

It's safe to say Stiles was lucky to have yet encountered Lydia Martin's wrath on this trip. He isn't sure how he narrowly avoided her during the rehearsal, maybe she sensed his angst with her Lydia like wiles, but now he's stuck.

He's stuck half dressed, pants on, shirt missing, carrying a bunch of table arrangements to their proper tables. Lydia is ruthless in her wedding planning and Allison and Scott's is the worst, she's getting shit done that's for sure. This is last thing to be retouched and then Lydia is going to preen Stiles to within an inch of his life. He never knew getting dressed was such an ordeal. He stands corrected.

He drops off the last bunch of flowers and thinks about slipping out of the room. As soon as he turns around Lydia's there, there goes that idea.   
He pouts and Lydia just grabs a hold of his belt loop and tugs him out of the room. They brought the suits and bits and pieces over from the hotel, so they basically have a Marquee where the guys are dressing and the women do their shit at the hotel down the road.

"Lyds you really should get back to Allison, I can dress myself and you need to get ready too. I can handle this myself" he motions to the ties and shoes and vests and pocket squares. He may be a little out of his depth, but he's a quick learner.

She gives him major side eye, and just says "I'd get dressed twice as efficiently as you and I have twice as much to do". With that she starts arranging him and his clothes. Scott comes in after a few minutes just as stiles has put his shirt on, who knew there was a wrong direction to start buttoning your buttons. My lord.

Scott looks terrified at the prospect of having Lydia do this to him and Stiles tries to reassure him with easy smiles and the occasional joke.

Scott's easy to please, he's soon enough in Lydia's clutches with the biggest grin on his face. He's the eternal child.

They're dressed and ready soon enough, with Lydia marching off to get herself and Allison ready. "She takes on too much that woman." Scott says as he straightens his tie in the mirror. "Try telling her that, she will forever maintain that nothing is done better than when she does it." And she's not wrong he thinks as he looks at himself and Scott in the mirror. They actually look presentable.

Considering its Scott's wedding day you'd hope that'd be the case.

There's a few hours to go so the boys leave their jackets and take off their ties, there's no way they will survive until the ceremony like that. They head towards the bar, 11 am in Greece is obviously the perfect drinking time. Obviously.

"Ok so we've got maybe 2 hours before were expected to do anything, let's get a drink." I motion for the bar tender, an Australian guy who free pours the shit out of 2 whiskey and cokes. "Maybe we'll go slow." I say, watching Scott's eyes bulge at the amount of alcohol he's receiving. He nods and sips his drink.

I lead us away from the bar, probably not the safest place to be. Allison's dad had come in last night after picking up the wedding bar tender, werewolf, duh. Scott coughs on his second sip and I almost choke. "That doesn't happen often" Scott stares at his drink, at arms length, "buddy, everything's fine, take a load off." I push a chair over to his feet. Once were comfortable I hear, "you two better not wrinkle that shit, Lydia will have a field day," Isaac walks in, half dressed and just finishing buttoning his shirt.

It's been a while ok, so bare skin that isn't mine or my brother's beside me makes me itchy, all over. I hear Scott groan, "Isaac just stay over there for a sec, 'kay." He rolls his eyes at me, "dude control yourself." I scoff, "That was not my fault, dudes like half naked." This time Isaac pipes up, "God, man, I'll go get Derek if your getting antsy." He's a good guy but, really?

I groan and bang my head on the table, "after the wedding dude, seriously" I glare at Isaac who just smirks. "Derek, huh?" Scott smirks, bless him, knows too much for his own good. He's smiling at me, wolfishly. Bastard.

"Ok, you two, not now."   
"Bro, it's helping keep me calm and not over excited so I don't spill something on myself" Scott, way to throw a brother under the bus. "You're the worst, that's not fair" I pout, but he wins.

"As its your wedding, you get one free pass. Whatever you wanna ask, say, state, anything. Go for it." I wave my hands around, motioning for him to go.

Scott considers this, then starts to say something but changes his mind, he does this twice before he says "Derek's a good guy, I don't know what happened while he was away but before he left he was a decent guy, if he doesn't take care of you I'll kill him." Stiles is shocked.

He can't form words, Scott doesn't joke about killing, it's his last resort and the bane of his existence

Stiles just nods. "Wow, ok, yeah no worries. Got it." Scott beams, that was obviously his intention. Isaac cracks up, "you two, honestly." He's finished buttoning and joined us at the table.

Scott keeps checking his watch, so I put my phone on the table and set an alarm. "Man, in an hour this thing will go of and we can go stress out and all that, ok?" I tap my phone, Scott nods. I need to distract him, I think it's Isaacs turn now.

"How's Cora?" I ask, looking pointedly at him. He shakes his head, Scott sits forward in his seat, Isaac see's this and sighs.

"I give in, fine. So last night before I spoke to you," he nods at Stiles, "Cora and I were talking, and you know what we're like ok, it's not hard for nothing to turn into something so after all that stuff with you and Derek and the little freak out, Cora kinda grabbed me." Scott's eyebrows shot up, Stiles are also somewhere close to his hairline. "Don't look so shocked. Yeah, we're sneaky, you know that coat check room? The one at the bottom of the stairs?" We both nod. "Remember weddings make people into fucking putty. So, Cora dragged me in there and we hooked up."

"I didn't even realise you disappeared, Scott said, "though I'm not surprised." He tipped his drink to Isaac.

Stiles laughs, Isaac frowns. "No, I'm not laughing at you, I'm laughing because this happens to often it's definitely a thing now." Isaac shakes his head but doesn't say anything.

Then he says, "That's all the detail you're getting." But he smirks into his drink.

Stiles groans, "Is everyone having sex besides me." Scott and Isaac laugh loudly this time, "Yeah man, sorry." Scott claps him on this shoulder, still chuckling. Isaac just stops and says, "I'm not sorry, plus your perfect opportunity just walked back in." Stiles groans again, "Thats too much for my brain to handle right now." Scott claps a hand on his shoulder again. "Atleast you know you're keeping me entertained so I can't freak out."

"You've got a point Scotty, you do, but I really hate you for it." He sits lower in his chair, Derek looks over, but walks on by.

An hour later, after the alarm on Stiles phone scared the shit out of the three of them while they were discussing the chances of Isaac and Cora making it through the ceremony without jumping each other, they're muddling through putting their ties back on.

Jackson walks in, "Lydia sent me. Apparently my skills at suiting up are high enough to help you losers." It's true, in the few years between now and leaving high school Jackson has essentially become a good guy, his attitudes changed but his vocabulary is the same.

Stiles tries to bat him away but Jackson just yanks on his tie, he flounders and kinda chokes but in 2 seconds flat his tie is perfect. He gapes, "You gotta teach me that." Jackson just shakes his head, "Then what would I be for?" He does Scott's slightly gentler and smooths off his jacket. "There, presentable. Mostly." Scott scowls and Jackson laughs, "Alright, alright. I'll go help some other defenseless soul."

Half an hour later Cora comes in, "The guests are arriving." Stiles stares, and Scott hits him, staring also. "What?" She barks. They both stammer, "you, uh. You look amazing." Stiles stumbles out, rubbing the back of his head. She blushes, "Yeah well don't get used to it, dresses aren't my thing." Stiles laughs, "Yeah, too hard to beat someone up." Scott laughs and Cora shrugs, "Maybe, although there is one plus." Isaac walks into the room and she winks at him. It's Scott's turn to choke, "What?" Stiles asks. "Dude you don't wanna know," Scott says, turning around.

Stiles gags, "Oh god, really you two. Keep it in your pants, or up your skirt or whatever it is that you have to do. Just keep it clean." He waves them off. They both laugh and scatter.

"Dude I will personally wolfsbane both of them if they defile your wedding." Stiles turns to Scott. He shrugs, "As long as they make it through the ceremony." He pauses, "if Lydia finds out she'll kill 'em any way." Stiles agrees, "and that would be worse than anything I could possibly dish out." They laugh. Heading outside, they start mingling and Scott gets over excited almost spilling some ladies drink.

Stiles holds him back, "only an hour to go buddy. Just an hour." He's not sure if it's Scott or himself he's telling.

Just when everyone's almost arrived Stiles heart gives a lurch, palpitation for one Derek Hale. Scott looks concerned for all of 2 seconds until he catches Derek slipping over to the bar. He smirks and turns back to his Dad's, Mums, Aunts, Sisters, Dads Uncle or something. Stiles gives up, normally his brain would be powering along on all the connections, but right now, it's all centered on one person.

He shuffles over, trying to get a glimpse of said person. Just to keep tabs, not to stalk. Ok, maybe stalk. But in a you're my mate, I'm trying to stay cool kind of way. He catches him just as Derek turns, they lock eyes and Stiles almost whimpers. The dickhead looks better than he ever has. Derek raises his glass in salute to Stiles and he waves back. Derek lifts another glass and tips his head in question. Stiles rolls his eyes, smooth Hale. Derek smirks as Stiles weaves through the crowd.

Stiles takes the drink Derek offers, "Thanks." He says and leans against the bar. "So, how's the wedding going so far?" Derek asks politely. "Well, uh. So far Lydia's run the show and we've just kind of gone along for the ride. If that woman ever gets married. Wait no scratch that, when she gets married, it's going to be the biggest event of the year, maybe more than one year." He drinks and watches Derek smirk. "I think she still riles you up." Stiles is getting into a bad habit of choking lately, "Really Derek? No ok, I love her, but not at all like I used too. You know that." He adds on the end without even thinking. Derek nods. "Ok, not gonna happen were steering clear of these topics for at least," he checks his watch, "6 hours, ok? Ok." Derek just smirks. That goddamn smirk. "This is your fault, you know how much I talk. I'm bound to say something I'll regret, at least 40 percent of the time." Derek tenses, "No dude, not regret, geez. More like can't control myself for a few hours." He doesn't want to hurt Derek's feelings but once he starts on a roll he cant stop and that's the problem, once he sees Derek he can't stop.

"I need to check on Scott. Thanks." He said, tipping the drink to Derek and walking off. He's flustered and 100 percent sure that Derek can feel him projecting his emotions all over the place.

Stiles is torn between wanting the wedding to be over, and never wanting it to end. Derek's going to be waiting and Stiles insides are like jelly.

He walks back to the dressing room, not bothering to actually find Scott, he just sits. Stiles isn't sure but he thinks he hears the musician for the ceremony practicing next door, James Taylor if he's not mistaken.

This makes him even more emotional. My god, he's turning into a girl. Maybe having feelings for a guy has slowly given him a vagina. As he listens he shakes his head, no, he's just realizing things for himself and that's a daunting process for anyone.

The next song he hears makes him groan, leaning forward with his hands in his hair. The fucking universe. A soft version of R.E.M's losing my religion is coming floating across from the room next to him.

The several months come casually crashing back, the lost feeling, the initial blind hope of having Derek come back. Then the weird edginess on the plane and the utter relief when the man himself was presented in front of Stiles.

He slouches back in the chair and tips his head back, just listening to the steady stream of music.

"You ok, buddy?" Stiles looks up to see Scott, fixing his tie and fidgeting, a lot.

Stiles quickly collects himself and stands. "Of course Scotty, come on, let's get you married." He hooks his arm around Scott's shoulders and steers them away from the music.

An hour later the guests have arrived, all sitting in their seats lined up with the ocean in front. the band's in position and Stiles is front and centre fixing Scott's perfect tie for the 3rd time. "Scott, it's immaculate." Scott frowns but, thankfully, stands still.

Isaac comes down the aisle, getting into position next to Stiles. "It's time." He says. Smiling at Scott.

"Here we go." Stiles says, patting Scott on the back one last time before standing up straight. He keeps his eyes trained directly on the back of the venue and nowhere near the 4th row, 1st person in the aisle. Yep, away.

The musicians smoothly change into an alarmingly beautiful version of the Rolling Stones wild horses. Lydia comes down the aisle, followed by one of Allison's cousins and then there's a gap, and the chorus plays as Allison, and her father, make their way down the aisle.

Stiles thinks the song is right, nothing at all could drag Scott away from this girl, and by the look on her face, it's mutual. Allison looks stunning, and Scott's face is like a kid on Christmas, times infinity.

The ceremony's flawless and from the relief on Scott's face he's not the only one happy they get through it without any hiccups, (Stiles didn't lose the rings, Scott remembered his vows). The reception is in the the same building, just a different room. This one similar to the rehearsal and the ceremony, the whole length of the room overlooks the bay and there's fairy lights, lanterns and candles.

Stiles has a moment of worry when he sees Derek get too close to a couple candles and flinch away. But he relaxes when Derek just crosses the room and casually leans against the wall.

Stiles, Scott, Isaac, Boyd and Jackson do a celebratory round of shots, Isaac differentiating the werewolf from the human and then they slowly begin to sit down.

"My friend Scott," Stiles says, "we've been through a lot, (he sees the supers in the room give him knowing looks) but nothing comes close to the grief you gave me when you first met Allison. I don't think I've ever seen puppy dog eyes that bad, ever." Scott pouts, but smiles. "It was gross, so gross I was a bit of a dick for a while, no body takes my brother away from me and gets away with it." He smiles at Allison. "But once I realized just how much of a badass this girl here is, I didn't have any problems at all." She smiles back. "Of course they've had their fair share of troubles, don't we all, but these two always come out on top and they're always stronger for it. Before I get too carried away I have to say, and I'm trying not to cringe when I say this, you two are quite possibly what gives me faith in relationships. Keep it up kids," he raises his glass, "to heart eyes and the bravest girl I've ever met, I guess you've gotta be to be with Scotty over there." He grins and downs his drink. There's a few chuckles and he's just glad he got through that without saying something he would regret, or crying, or again blabbering on and on. He's actually surprised how subdued that was, and he thinks he's not the only one. Lydia's giving him a look he can't quite place. Scott's wrapped up in Allison and cake and wedding. So he slips over to the side, grabs a drink and heads in Lydia's direction.

"Ok, say it." He braces himself.   
She frowns, which is unbelievably attractive, and Stiles realises how much of an objective thought that is. He isn't obsessing, he isnt stuttering.

"I can't place it, but it's going to work out soon enough." She says, the glint In her eyes giving her away. "You know something I don't." Stiles wants to know right now. Or maybe he doesn't actually. She shrugs, "You'll see." She squeezes his shoulder and sips her champagne. He frowns at her, she just gives him a 'what can you do?' look and leaves to find Cora.

She returns 2 minutes later, just as stiles is taking a sip of his drink. "Those two are unbelievable!" Luckily there's no smoke coming out her ears, but it's close enough. Stiles half chokes, which is happening a lot.

"Find them, did you?" He basically giggles, she side eyes him, "Oh I found them alright," she throws something white at stiles who automatically catches it, only to drop it and kick it under the table next to him just as fast. "Lyds!" He looks in the direction he had just kicked a white lace thong. "Now you can join in my discomfort" she smirks. "I'm very uncomfortable with just handling Cora's underwear, but I'm actually pretty proud of Isaac." He laughs as Lydia tries not to smile.

"Besides, they basically made it through the whole wedding, which I have to give them credit for."


End file.
